Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Sunday's Forecast
Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
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Gale force, walking arduous
Considerable buffeting, walking into the wind will be strenuous on exposed terrain, stronger gusts may knock you off your feet. 40 to 55mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Chilly
Air temperature typically 0 to 5C on higher summits. Feeling distinctly chilly on tops when stationary or where exposed to wind. Take appropriate layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 20th September 2026
Last updated
Sat 19th Sep 26 at
4:00PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Gale-force winds over Scottish mountains early in the day lessen, but staying blustery and feeling chilly, for northern areas in particular. Showery rain in the west in the morning fading. Cloud base rising with good breaks forming, sunny spells best toward east. Lightest winds for Wales.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Gales on tops gradually lessening, largely dry, cloud lifts.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 50mph, to 60mph higher Cairngorms early morning with stronger gusts for a few hours from dawn, tending to lessen gradually to 30-40mph middle of day into afternoon, later 25-30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging conditions, difficult on higher exposed slopes in morning, significant wind chill; moderating gradually but remaining blustery and chilly on tops.
How Wet?
A few showers for a time
Brief light showery rain mostly north and western Cairngorms in the morning. Often dry into the afternoon. Rain and drizzle develops from west well into night.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting and clearing many tops
Patchy cloud above 800-1000m in the morning, lowest toward west. Tending to lift and break above many summits, especially in east, but some patches may drift onto western high tops at times.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
70%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Broken cloud and sunshine. Visibility very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5 or 6C, little change all day, then tending to rise onward into night. Feeling like -5 to -8C directly in wind.
Freezing Level
Close to freezing on Ben Macdui summit in the morning, later rising well above tops.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 21st September 2026
Last updated
Sat 19th Sep 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
West to southwesterly 35 to 50mph, very gusty in places, the strongest gusts not confined to highest summits.
Effect of the wind on you?
Very blustery, affecting ease of walking and knocking you off balance, sudden buffeting gusts in some passes and downslope.
How Wet?
Patchy drizzle mostly west
Some steady rain for a time early in the day, fading to leave patchy light rain and drizzle, most common toward Drumochter; more often dry toward Deeside.
Cloud on the hills?
Extensive, possible breaks east
Blanket cloud shrouding the hills, foggy from mid-elevations upward much of the time in more western areas. Cloud base higher eastward, clinging to most high tops, but local breaks may emerge.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
20%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Glimpses of sun mostly, but locally furthest east may break through more often. Misty poor visibility many hills, but locally good below cloud in east.
How Cold? (at 900m)
11 to 13C, small change with added height and little change into night; quite humid, but still feeling near 0C if directly in wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 22nd September 2026
Last updated
Sat 19th Sep 26 at
4:00PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 25 to 40mph, risk very gusty for a time, particularly higher Cairngorms and toward northern corries.
Effect of the wind on you?
Varied conditions, in places fairly small, but risk often blustery in exposure and for a time more frequent buffeting.
How Wet?
Occasional drizzle, risk rain later
Patchy drizzle, most common areas near Drumochter, occasional spots in the wind moving east, feeling damp where in cloud. Later in day, some steadier rain may develop from west, small amounts east.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied cloud, clearer north
Banks of cloud around some slopes at varied heights, most persistent areas accessed from Glen Garry. Some banks may roll across higher Cairngorms, but likely to break for periods. Later may fill in more widely from the west.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine emerging at times, best to the north of the Cairngorms, then likely to cloud over from west. Visibility very good out of cloud and when dry.
How Cold? (at 900m)
10C, locally up to 12C northeast, humid; then likely to drop into night toward 6C. Feeling near to 0C in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Warm and humid air from the southwest extends across Britain early in the new week, cloaking many hills in fog and drizzle, to lower slopes near western coasts. A band of steadier rain is likely to be draped over northwest Scotland by Tuesday. Best of cloud breaks in areas further east and northeast. Rain then passes eastwards into Wednesday followed by a few showers, lower humidity and cloud bases lifting. Later in the week, areas of low pressure toward the northwest likely still bring periods of stronger winds to Scotland at least and a risk of rain at times mainly in the west, but a trend toward higher pressure and drier weather more often for the end of September into the start of October.